GGB
GGB (formerly Glacier Garlock Bearings, now part of the EnPro Industries group) is one of the world's largest and longest-established manufacturers of dry and self-lubricating plain (sliding) bearings. Its heritage in metal-polymer bearing technology traces back to the original DU material introduced in the 1950s, and the brand is widely regarded as the global market leader in maintenance-free bushings.
GGB's core competence is the metal-polymer composite bearing: a steel or bronze backing bonded to a porous sintered-bronze interlayer that is impregnated and overlaid with a low-friction PTFE-based sliding layer. This construction combines the load capacity and thermal conductivity of metal with the low friction and dry-running capability of PTFE, producing bearings that operate without external lubrication. Alongside metal-polymer, GGB manufactures engineered-plastic (solid polymer) bearings, fibre-reinforced filament-wound composites, and self-lubricating metal/bronze products with solid-lubricant reservoirs.
Bearings are supplied as cylindrical (sleeve) bushes, flanged bushes, thrust washers, and flat strip/wear plates, together with blanks for custom profiles. Because GGB families are so widely specified, they are a frequent cross-reference target when selecting or replacing maintenance-free bearings — which makes them a natural entry point for buyers searching by competitor part family before requesting a quote.
GGB DU
| Material | Metal-polymer: steel backing + porous sintered-bronze interlayer + PTFE-based sliding overlay (classic PTFE/lead and modern lead-free variants) |
|---|---|
| Forms | Cylindrical (wrapped) bush, Flanged bush, Thrust washer, Strip / wear plate, Blank for custom profiles |
| Typical size range | Wrapped cylindrical bushes typically from around 3 mm up to roughly 200 mm bore (larger sizes available as cut strip and plate); thin walls, generally in the region of 0.5–2.5 mm — dimensions quoted here are general/typical, not certified. |
Key features
- Dry, unlubricated running (maintenance-free)
- Very low friction and low wear
- High load capacity in a thin-walled, lightweight section
- Wide operating-temperature capability (broadly in the order of -200 to +280 °C)
- Good performance in oscillating, rotating and intermittent motion
- The industry-reference metal-polymer bearing material
Applications
- Automotive steering, transmissions and shock absorbers
- Hydraulic pumps and motors
- General industrial machinery and linkages
- Agricultural and off-highway equipment
- Household appliances and power tools
- Oscillating pivots and pins
Cross-reference
The original metal-polymer bearing and the industry archetype — the dry-running, maintenance-free alternative to oil-impregnated sintered bronze, making it the functional cross-reference to Bushingo's BP25 (oil-impregnated sintered bronze); strip and thrust-washer forms overlap Metagliss self-lubricating composite friction plates. Commonly cross-referenced with Kolbenschmidt Permaglide P10/P11, Saint-Gobain Norglide and other steel-backed PTFE/bronze bushes.
GGB DX / DX10
| Material | Metal-polymer with an acetal (POM) sliding layer featuring lubricant-retaining indentations, bonded to a steel/bronze backing — designed for marginally lubricated (greased/oiled) service |
|---|---|
| Forms | Cylindrical bush, Flanged bush, Thrust washer |
| Typical size range | Comparable to DU — typically small bores up to around 100+ mm; general/typical guidance only, exact sizes confirmed per quote. |
Key features
- POM sliding surface with dimples that retain lubricant
- Higher load capacity for greased/marginally lubricated duties
- Strong resistance to edge loading and shock
- Good wear resistance and long relubrication intervals
- Robust in contaminated or dirty environments
Applications
- Automotive chassis and suspension components
- Hydraulic gear pumps
- Agricultural and off-highway machinery
- Construction and earthmoving pivots
- General greased oscillating joints
Cross-reference
POM-lined, marginally/greased-lubricated metal-polymer for higher loads and shock — closest to Bushingo BP25 in greased or oil-impregnated sintered-bronze duties, and a hard-wearing upgrade where a sintered bronze bush would edge-load. Cross-referenced with Kolbenschmidt Permaglide P14/P2 and similar acetal-lined metal-polymer bushes.
GGB DP4
| Material | Lead-free, high-performance metal-polymer with a filled PTFE sliding layer on a bronze/steel backing |
|---|---|
| Forms | Cylindrical bush, Flanged bush, Thrust washer, Strip / wear plate |
| Typical size range | Similar envelope to DU — small bores up to roughly 200 mm in wrapped form; typical/general figures, not certified ratings. |
Key features
- Lead-free / RoHS-compliant construction
- Higher PV capability and improved wear versus standard DU
- Suited to dry and marginally lubricated oscillating motion
- Widely automotive-qualified
- Maintenance-free, thin-walled section
Applications
- Automotive applications requiring lead-free bearings
- Shock absorbers and dampers
- Hydraulics
- Industrial machinery
- Precision mechanisms
Cross-reference
The lead-free, high-PV evolution of DU — the RoHS-compliant dry-running replacement for oil-impregnated sintered bronze, cross-referencing Bushingo's BP25. Comparable to lead-free metal-polymer grades from Kolbenschmidt Permaglide and other PTFE/bronze bearing makers.
GGB DP31
| Material | Lead-free metal-polymer with a POM/acetal sliding layer containing lubricant reservoirs (dimples) on a steel/bronze backing, optimised for grease-lubricated heavy duty |
|---|---|
| Forms | Cylindrical bush, Flanged bush, Thrust washer |
| Typical size range | Medium bores through to larger heavy-section bushes; general/typical only, confirmed per application at quote. |
Key features
- Very high load capacity for grease-lubricated oscillating motion
- Integral lubricant reservoirs extend relubrication intervals
- Lead-free / RoHS-compliant
- Excellent resistance to shock, edge loading and contamination
- Suited to slow-speed, high-load pins and bushes
Applications
- Construction and earthmoving equipment
- Off-highway chassis pins and bushes
- Hydraulic cylinder eyes and rod ends
- Material-handling and lifting equipment
- Heavy oscillating linkages
Cross-reference
Lead-free POM metal-polymer with lubricant reservoirs for heavy grease-lubricated oscillating service — closest to Bushingo's BP25 (greased sintered bronze) for chassis and pin bushings, but engineered for higher loads and longer service intervals.
GGB EP (Engineered Plastics / solid polymer)
| Material | Injection-moulded thermoplastic composite bearings (grades such as EP12, EP15, EP22, EP43, EP44) with reinforcing fibres and solid lubricants dispersed through the full wall thickness |
|---|---|
| Forms | Cylindrical bush, Flanged bush, Thrust washer |
| Typical size range | Typically small to medium bores (a few mm up to around 50+ mm) as moulded parts; general/typical guidance only. |
Key features
- Homogeneous self-lubrication (lubricant present throughout the material)
- Corrosion and chemical resistance
- Non-metallic and lightweight
- Good performance in wet, washdown and dirty environments
- Low wear against soft and hard shafts
Applications
- Food, beverage and packaging machinery
- Water treatment and marine equipment
- Agricultural machinery
- Medical and laboratory devices
- General wet or corrosive-environment pivots
Cross-reference
A homogeneous self-lubricating thermoplastic (lubricant through the full wall) — closest in principle to Bushingo's Metagliss self-lubricating composite, and a non-metallic, corrosion-proof dry-running alternative to the sintered self-lubricating families BP25 (bronze) and SO16 (sintered alloy). Cross-referenced with engineered-plastic bushings such as igus iglidur.
Request a quote for GGB EP (Engineered Plastics / solid polymer) ↗
GGB HPM / HPMB (high-performance metal / bronze)
| Material | Solid cast/wrought bronze and metal bearing materials; HPMB is bronze embedded with solid-lubricant plugs (e.g. graphite) for self-lubricating, maintenance-free running |
|---|---|
| Forms | Cylindrical bush, Flanged bush, Thrust washer, Wear plate |
| Typical size range | Medium to large bores for heavy-section components; general/typical only, sized to application at quote. |
Key features
- Very high static and dynamic load capacity
- Suited to high temperatures, heavy shock and low speeds
- Solid-lubricant plugs give maintenance-free operation (HPMB)
- Robust in contaminated and abrasive environments
- Excellent for slow oscillating, high-load duties
Applications
- Presses, dies and tooling
- Heavy machinery and steel/metals plant
- Construction and mining equipment
- Marine and offshore
- Turntables and slew rings
Cross-reference
The solid bronze / bronze-with-solid-lubricant-plug family for very high loads, high temperatures and shock — the heavy-duty metal counterpart to Bushingo's sintered-metal families BP25 (bronze) and, as a solid-metal option, FP20 (sintered iron). Comparable to graphite-plugged cast-bronze bearings such as Oiles and deva.metal / CIP graphite-bronze products.
Request a quote for GGB HPM / HPMB (high-performance metal / bronze) ↗
GGB EL / HSG (filament-wound composite)
| Material | Fibre-reinforced, filament-wound composite; EL incorporates an integral self-lubricating (PTFE-based) fibre liner, while HSG is a high-strength structural grade |
|---|---|
| Forms | Cylindrical bush, Flanged bush, Thrust washer, Wear plate |
| Typical size range | Medium to very large bores (up to several hundred mm in large structural sizes); general/typical guidance, not certified ratings. |
Key features
- Very high static and dynamic load capacity
- Excellent in oscillating and edge-loaded service
- Corrosion resistant and suitable for wet/underwater use
- Integral self-lubricating liner (EL) — maintenance-free
- Tolerant of hardened or softer counterface shafts
- Available in large diameters not practical in wrapped metal-polymer
Applications
- Construction and earthmoving equipment
- Hydro turbines and water-control gates
- Marine, offshore and dredging equipment
- Structural and bridge bearings
- Aerospace and defence mechanisms
Cross-reference
A fibre-reinforced filament-wound composite with an integral self-lubricating liner — the structural, very-high-load self-lubricating composite that most closely parallels Bushingo's Metagliss self-lubricating composite friction plates for heavy oscillating and edge-loaded duties, extending into large diameters beyond the sintered families. Cross-referenced with fabric/fibre-lined composite bushes such as GAR-MAX and CIP Composites.
Request a quote for GGB EL / HSG (filament-wound composite) ↗
Match a part or specify your duty
Send a competitor part number or your load, speed, temperature and shaft size — we quote the right maintenance-free bearing.
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